We've all heard of the Grand Canyon in the U.S., and many of us dream of visiting it on our first trip to America. What about the second or third or fifth trip? We have gathered information for you about three national parks that will impress you: one with dozens of lakes, mountains and waterfalls, the other with a red canyon, and the third with an extinct volcano crater.
In this article, we will only talk about parks, which can be reached on their four wheels.
The entrance to almost all parks is paid. Of the pleasures - you have to pay not for each person separately, but for the whole car, regardless of the number of people in it (at least 16). Prices vary from $ 25 to 45. If you plan to visit 2 or more parks, we recommend you to buy an annual pass "Annual Pass America the Beautiful". It allows you to visit all national (state parks are not counted) parks during the year for $ 80 and operates on the car, so you get one for all. You can buy it at the Visitor Center of any park.
Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain National Park
Where? Colorado, USA (40.341489, -105.695025).
How to get there? Only by car from Denver in an hour.
How much does it cost? $25 per car or $80 on an annual subscription.
When to go? At any time of year, the park is open 24 hours a day (best time from April to November).
How long do I have to go? 1-2 days.
Rocky Mountain is a park with dozens of lakes, waterfalls and mountains. It is especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves start to turn yellow.
How to get there
The nearest entrance to the park is just an hour's drive from the capital of Colorado, Denver. That's why it's not just the lazy one. In general, there are officially two entrances to the park: east (closer to Denver) and west. Most tourists and Denver residents choose the first option through the city of Estes Park (checkpoints: Beaver Medows Visitor Center, Moraine Park Discovery Center or Fall River Visitor Center). This causes a lot of traffic jams at the entrance on the weekends. Therefore, if your visit is scheduled for the weekend, it is better to choose the western entrance (where the route is more picturesque) through the Kawuneeche Visitor Center.
Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon National Park
Where? Utah, USA (37.629607, -112.170570)
How to get there? Only by car. The nearest major cities are Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, which is 4 hours away from the park.
How much does it cost? $35 per car or $80 on an annual subscription to all parks in the United States.
When to go? The season lasts all year round but is better in the warm season (May to October).
How long do I have to go? 1-2 days.
There is an Indian legend that this park was created by a spirit that turned all evil people into blocks of stone. In fact, Bryce Canyon was formed by centuries of rain, wind, and erosion. The Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon in Arizona were formed in a similar way.
To enjoy this park to the fullest, come to it in the morning and stay overnight to meet both sunset and dawn and see what you liked better. There are several campsites in the park that you can usually book in advance online. In 2019, with the reconstruction of the park, all the campsites are working on the principle of "first come-first serve", i.e. the places go to those who come to the campsite earlier. The cost of overnight stay in the tent is $ 20 (the tent should be its own, in the U.S. parks there is no rental of equipment).
You can move around the park in your own car. If you don't want to worry about finding a car park (although there are no problems with it) or to spend time driving, free shuttle buses run inside the park.
Sunset Crater
National Monument Sunset Crater Volcano
Where? Arizona, USA (35.364171, -111.503916).
How to get there? By car from Las Vegas and Phoenix (capital of Arizona).
How much does it cost? $25 per car or $80 on an annual subscription to all parks in the United States.
When to go? The park is open daily, even at night. But trailers are only open from dawn to dusk.
Sunset Crater Volcano is a national park with a territory around an extinct volcano. Once upon a time, in the 11th century (or recently, according to volcanic standards), the eruption of this volcano had a strong impact on the lives of locals and the surrounding landscape. This event led to the fact that hundreds of kilometers of land around the volcano became uninhabited, and only in the 20th century did this place become a national park, where you can walk along the volcanic ash.
The volcano is now safe (unlike Yellowstone) and is considered the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau. Gradually, plants begin to emerge from the ground, and animals come with them (not dangerous among them). The small park is located near the Grand Canyon. Apparently, because of such a popular neighbor, there are almost no people (especially tourists) in this park. You can't drive around this park like the previous two, you have to walk in it.